Masquerading Life
by My-Fair-Lady45
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki is obnoxious, loud-mouthed, unpredictable, rude, and obsessed with ramen. At least, that is how every one used to see him. It has been eight years since Sasuke left the village of Konoha and it has been four years since a certain blond-haired ninja disappeared. What will happen now? *yaoi* SasuNaru!
1. The Past of Naruto, Part 1

**Hey there. This is my second Fan-fic. It is a different setting than the first, and I have a bit more...muse for this one, I think. Anyways, i apologize for any terrible writing that I am sure I have placed before you.**

**Yes, this is yaoi, just not till later on in the story. There will be hints early on, but nothing incredibly major. Pairings include SasuNaru, KakaIru, and possibly** **Sakura/Lee.**

_Naruto thinking_

**Kyuubi talking**

**Disclaimer: I, the writer of this fic, do not own _Naruto _or any of the characters mentioned from said series in this fic. The creator(s) of the manga/anime own _Naruto_ and said characters**

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Naruto Uzumaki is obnoxious, loud-mouthed, unpredictable, rude, and obsessed with ramen. At least, that is how every one used to see him. It has been eight years since Sasuke left the village of Konoha and it has been four years since a certain blond-haired ninja disappeared.

In order to give the whole picture, we must start from where this story truly begins...

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**14 Years Ago**

A six-year-old Naruto scurried down the road, keeping his head down and trying to avoid detection. He pulled the hat down lower over his bright yellow hair as a villager stared. He quickly became focused on hiding the key features of himself and bumped into someone on accident, causing the hand pulling down the hat to jerk and the hat to ride up, revealing a sliver of his hair. It was a dead give away and the whole street seemed to pause, the noise level dropping almost instantly. Naruto could feel the many cold eyes piercing him and he let out a soft whimper. "It's him! It is the demon!" One villager shouted, pointing an accusing finger at the small boy. Naruto pulled the hat down and took a few steps back, terrified about what the villagers would do to him. "It bumped me! It was trying to stab me, I could feel the blade press against me as it passed."  
"It is out to get us all!"

"Demon!"

"Monster!"

"How could they let something like you live!"

"Why don't you just go and kill yourself?"

"We have to get it before it gets us!"

The tears started to fall then, big, salty drops that made paths down the scarred cheeks. "I not a monster!" He shouted, raising his head finally and staring at the villagers with wide eyes, full of fear and defiance. He could not believe them, not any longer. Old Man Hokage had told him that they were wrong, so they were most definitely confused about what they were saying.

"It talked! It's trying to curse us! Get it!"

The villagers started to advance on the six-year-old and his eyes grew impossibly wider. "You wrong! Not monster! Not it! I'm Naruto!" His desperate pleas only made their cries of hatred worsen. They continued to advance until Naruto turned and ran, managing to break through a line of the villagers. The tears continued to stream from his small face and he wondered why they hated him so much. Whenever he tried to prove to them that he was not the evil being that they called him, they only became more hateful towards him. As he ran, an idea came to the little boy's mind. What if he pretended to be goofy, happy, and ignored their hate? If he didn't react to their angry shouts with tears, but instead with a grin, would they leave him alone?

The idea seemed brilliant to Naruto and he stopped running to face his pursuers. Wiping the tears from his face and forcing the happiest smile he could manage on his face, (for a six-year-old, it was pretty decent), Naruto waved at the villagers chasing him. "I'm Naruto Uzu-maki, ba-we-vet!"{!1}

**Academy, Year 1 (A Few Years Later)**

School did not sound entirely appealing to the young ninja-wanna'-be, but he went anyway, thinking that maybe this was his chance to prove himself. "Iruka-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed as he entered the building. He received a smile and a nod before being asked to find a seat. He scanned the room and saw an empty seat at the same table where the kid from the lake sat. His smile grew a few centimeters and he quickly sat a seat away from the dark-haired boy. Sadly, a pink haired girl was in the seat directly beside the other boy, so one seat away was as close as he could get. It wasn't so bad because the girl was kind of pretty, but she was rather annoying with her squeaky voice, dramatic expressions, and clingy behavior.

The day passed normally with little problems, besides the ugly glares that Naruto received from all of his classmates, except for the dark-haired one, who only glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Naruto refused to be affected by the stares, but also refused to put up his mask and therefore did not smile once at any of the other children.

Naruto thought school wasn't all that bad and the week soon passed quickly. He found he could ignore the glares easier now that he was having fun. However, as the week wore on, he also found the glares increasingly more intense. He continued his ritual of ignoring and focused on work, finding it easy and much more fun than he had ever expected. The words 'believe it' never left his mouth until the last few minutes before they were dismissed at the end of the week. Iruka-sensei handed back his papers with a wide grin and praised him for being the top of the class in scores for the week. Naruto returned the grin with a wider one and then noticed something. The glares and just plain dirty looks had increased triple fold. Frowns and muttered angry words now accompanioned the looks. He heard whispers of the words, 'monster' and 'spoiled demon' and it was then that it hit him. He was never going to be accepted anywhere for who he was. The only time anyone partially accepted him was when he was a stupid idiot. Gritting his teeth, Naruto shut his eyes for a moment. By the time he loosened his jaw and opened his eyes, his entire demeanor had changed.

A huge grin split his face and his eyes were squinting due to how large the grin was. He made a peace sign and laughed at the class while shouting, "Believe it!" This earned him groans and eye-rolls, the best reaction he had received since the beginning of the week. He turned in his seat and placed his paper on his desk, crooked instead of his normal O.C.D behavior of making the paper straight. _They won't accept the real me. I'm going to have to create someone completely opposite to my true self for them to even look at me like I exist, instead of this 'it' or 'monster' they call me. A mask. Yeah, I will have to wear this 'mask' from now on, that way they will at least look at me as more than what they imagine me to be. _

**Academy, Yea****r**** 3**

"NARUTO!" Iruka-sensei practically screamed, his head growing ten times bigger in the view of the students. Naruto grinned sheepishly and placed his hands behind his head, locking the fingers together. "What? It worked, didn't it?" This statement and his earlier actions caused the older man to explode into a lecture about pranks and being a diligent student, or rather how Naruto should not do pranks in school and was not a diligent student because he didn't apply himself to the right things. 'Inner' Naruto rolled his eyes and launched into a lecture of his own, whilst 'Outer' Naruto idiotically grinned and rubbed the side of his head.

Behind them, the entire class groaned as Iruka made them all go through the cloning exercise again. Of course, Naruto failed, but his mind was too distracted to actually think about his failure and was more focused on how he was going to pass the academy without letting people in on his secret. It was a problem he had thought about for three years now and all the scenarios had led to someone, like Shikamaru, figuring out his secret.

Later on that day, as he sat on a rooftop with Mizuki-sensei, Naruto grinned up at his 'trusted' sensei while having a conversation with himself. The conversation had taken a suspicious turn, but he couldn't let his teacher know that he suspected. No, instead, he played along, pretending to be the naïve little boy who would follow his trusted sensei's every word. Mentally, Naruto rolled his eyes for the tenth time that day. "Alright, Mizuki-sensei! Thanks!" He shouted over his shoulder, glancing back for a split second to catch a creepy look on the man's face. A sense of dread filled Naruto and he let out a heavy sigh. This was not going to end well, he could already sense it.

Stealing the scroll had been easy, though he would have found it easier if he wasn't masquerading as the village idiot. He had to trick several people, including the Hokage, in an attempt to protect his cover. Disappearing into the forest and learning the technique, however, was harder in the sense of hiding what he truly was capable of. In fact, he learned the new jutsu within minutes, but he wrestled in the dirt with the clones to make it seem as if he had worked hard. When his two teachers found him and the fight broke out, Naruto was glad for the years of practice. It was hard to not break his cover and win the fight within moments. He managed to force his reactions to slow, which meant that Iruka took all the damage. Naruto felt guilty about it, but refused to let it bother him in the middle of a serious moment.

Winning against Mizuki was easy, especially with the new technique, and somehow Naruto managed to win without showing either of his sensei what lay beneath the surface. All in all, the day had not been as bad as it could have been. Sure, a few people got hurt, and/or, tricked that probably could have dealt without it, but in the end, Naruto felt like it was worth it. Though, he was sure no one except for him would see it that way. _  
_

_Again, I proved that my mask can help me through these situations. I wonder if any one has seen through it. After all, even I cannot be THAT smart. I guess, though, that it would be hard to see something when you aren't looking for it, even for a ninja. Maybe the people in this village really are that dense. Hn. This makes my head hurt too much. I should get to the hospital before someone accuses me of not caring about the wounded._

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**1. This is six-year-old Naruto speaking here. Ba-we-vet is "Believe it!". I was lazy and had him say his name correctly, minus the - in Uzumaki.**

**So...How was it? Did it suck? Was it terrible? Tell me, tell me, please! **


	2. The Past of Naruto, Part 2

***gasp* Reviews, follows, and views! Thank you. : ) I most definitely going to continue this fic.  
This beginning 'writer space', as I like to call it, will hopefully grow to become something worth reading before the end of this fanfic. **

_Naruto thinking_

**Kyuubi talking**

**Disclaimer: I, the writer of this fic, do not own ****_Naruto _****or any of the characters mentioned from said series in this fic. The creator(s) of the manga/anime own ****_Naruto_**** and said characters**

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**Team Seven, First Official Meeting**

Naruto could not believe that someone as strong and respected as Kakashi Hatake was a lazy and porn-loving kind of guy. Mentally rolling his eyes, Naruto let some of his frustrations out by yelling at the jounin who had been hours late to the first meeting of the newly formed Team Seven. It was bad enough that he was stuck on the socially stunted, brooding 'lake-boy' and one of the most annoying girls in the entire world, Sakura. Of course, Naruto did not let his true thoughts show and played the 'in love with Sakura, fierce rival with Sasuke' card instead.

He hated how idiotic he sounded when he spoke up, practically shouting his 'ideals' to the world. The looks he gained from his new teammates and sensei was enough to get his insides boiling. They hated him even more, but at least this hate was directed at him instead of the nameless entity that every one else saw him as. His blue eyes rested on lake-boy for a moment and he wondered what it would have been like to be friends with him. That had been, after all, his first intentions. Sasuke had everything that Naruto wanted and somehow that made Naruto look up to him. Nevertheless, Naruto had soon realized that Sasuke was an idiot. The other boy seemed to despise the love, affection, and praise that he received from every one in the village. This realization had been the fuel for all the rivalry that Naruto 'had' with Sasuke.

Onyx eyes met his own, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts. Recovering quickly, he stuck his tongue out and pulled his bottom eyelid down slightly. The glare that he received made his inner self smirk. He turned back to the silver-haired jounin in front of them and listened, even though he made it seem that he was zoning out. By the end of the rather short meeting, Naruto had learned little about his teammates and sensei that he didn't already know. He had watched from the sidelines as Sakura tried in vain to hang on Sasuke and ask him out on a date. Rolling his eyes, Naruto turned on his heel while shoving his hands into warm pockets. Maybe being on this team would not be so bad. After all, if they were expected to get stronger, he could let slivers of his true self through as the months and years went by. In the end, maybe he could show his true self to the teammates that he would become close to, or so he hoped.

**Fight With Haku, Sasuke...Why?**

The pain was something he could deal with, the pesky enemy was going to be easy once he let loose, but what confused Naruto at the moment was the body in his arms. Sasuke Uchiha, 'lake-boy', was pierced with what had to be hundreds of needles and was currently grasping on to the last shreds of consciousness. "...Why?" He whispered, trying his best to ignore the odd pain in his chest and the salty tears mixing with rain. "My body moved on its own," was the mumbled response that he got and Naruto's eyes widened as the body went limp and the breathing stopped.

**Let's get him, kit. **

_Yeah...Are you sure it is a good idea?_

**Now is not the time to be thinking rationally, you idiot. The lake-boy is not dead yet, anyways. **

_Not dead!? He isn't breathing, you dumb fox!_

**Do you not remember how this freak took away the sword wielder? Looked like death, now didn't it?**

_True. You have a point. By the way, the freak's name is Haku. Remember that. _

**Whatever. Let us get this over with. **

Naruto started to shake, his eyes changing drastically to red-slitted eyes that clearly belonged to a demon. The fight that followed was fun for Naruto until Haku suddenly decided he had failed his purpose of being a tool for Zabuza. This sent Naruto into another rage, not only at the boy in front of him, but also at Zabuza who dared to treat Haku as nothing more than a tool.

When all was said and done, the long and drawn out fights that led to both Zabuza's and Haku's death had left Naruto exhausted. It was harder than he thought to keep his cover on during such intense circumstances. Walking back to Sasuke, he played the part of the boy who had no idea that his teammate was not dead. Even though Naruto was doing nothing more than acting, he felt a strange ache inside and tears started to drip from his eyes once again. He stood and stared, whispering to himself, "Sasuke...Why?"

**After Chunin Exam/Ordeal**

_I should have killed them all when I had the chance. I feel like such a dunce. Sometimes I hate this mask that I wear. 'Outer' Naruto disgusts me. At least I got to do something cool in front of my teammates, though I doubt any of them saw. _

**Then get rid of him! Shed this skin. **

_You know better than anyone else that I cannot do that, not yet. They won't believe me! I have been lying to them since I was six and they know me as the prankster of the village. They will only take it as another prank to try and get attention. _

**I vote we leave. I hate this hell. **

_You better be talking about the village. _

**No, you idiot, I'm talking about your ugly body that I have been stuck in. **

Naruto would have carried on having the deep conversation with the other resident of his body, but sleep overcame his body and he faded into blissful unconsciousness. He, however, got little rest as the thoughts of his friend going to Orochimaru was horrifying to him. Sasuke was a jerk, prick, and an idiot, but Naruto wanted him to stay in Konoha, with Team Seven, and most importantly, with him. He wanted to think that Sasuke had long ago given up on selfish, naïve thoughts of revenge, but he knew better. Sasuke was not over revenge, and Naruto doubted that he would ever be over revenge.

**Valley of The End**

"I will bring you back to Konoha, even if I have to break all of your bones to do it." Naruto yelled, the determination to bring his precious rival and friend home. No matter how much determination he showed, he felt little of it for real. He knew there was no way that his words would reach Sasuke. Even before the words of retaliation had left the other boy's mouth, he knew what he was going to say. There was no way that he had felt the same way as Sasuke. Naruto never had a family, not a real one. Substitutes would always be just that...substitutes.

The chidori that was plunged through his chest hurt little compared to the throbbing that he felt in his heart. "Sa-su-ke..." He whispered as his eyes shut. He lost contact with the present world soon, but not before he swore he felt the ticklish warmth of another's breath brushing his face and the clink of metal hitting the stone. The tears that had spilled from his face earlier were now becoming one with the rain drops.

Waking up on Kakashi's back was not something he had suspected, as he had hoped that the chidori hit its mark and he had died at the hands of his best friend. He went in between conscious and unconscious until they reached Konoha, when he finally fell into a deep unconscious state.

When he awoke, the only thing he could think about was Sasuke. The last words that he remembered the teme saying were the worst and best words that he had ever heard coming from the boy's mouth. _"Naruto...You became my...best friend...and that is why I have to kill you!" _A choked sob left his weak throat and the tears poured from his eyes once again. He buried his face into the hospital pillow.

**Sh, kit, go back to sleep. You need the rest.**

_Rest? How am I supposed to rest when...when he is gone? I should have died. Why didn't I die? Why didn't you let me die!?_

**Naruto, sleep. **

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**That makes me sad especially when I am the one writing it. Sasuke, you are a jerk! :P **

**I know, this is only flashbacks so far. I apologize, but this is to give you much needed background on how the 'real' Naruto thought. I could have eased you into the flashbacks and just slammed you in the face with the storyline, but I thought I would be nice. Ha! ; ) Don't worry, the next chapter will be filled with delicious present storyline! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one, which shall hopefully be posted within a day or so. **


	3. New Life, Unwanted Memories

**Here is the next chapter. I realized I have not stated it yet, but this happens after Pain. If you are not current on the manga and/or anime, you might not want to read this until you are. I am changing it up to suit my purposes better and saying that the Danzo fiasco never happened, at least not to the escalating extent that it did in the manga/anime. Don't mind me, just making my own timeline! **

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The years had been kind to the demon vessel, Naruto Uzumaki. His body had filled out, the muscles becoming more defined, though he was by no means bulky. His smaller frame was covered in toned muscle that made him look fit, but not incredibly strong or deadly. He had grown several inches and was rather proud of the fact. His hair was shoulder length and obnoxiously spiky. The blond color was still as bright, but it was accented by the red and black tips that homemade hair dye now added. The whisker marks were more defined, causing him to look even more like a fox than he had when he was a boy.

Four years had passed since he left Konoha Village without a backward glance. The small village that he now lived near was perfect to him. It was in the Moon Country, a small and peaceful place where he found that he could hide easily. No one saw him as a jinchuuriki and every one accepted him for Hisoka Namikaze. For the first time in his life, he was accepted for who he was and not what was inside him, though no one in the village knew about the demonic creature that lay in his gut. There were a few that he wanted to tell, but it would put them in danger to know, so he was holding back the information.

Today was a day like any other; it started out with Naruto waking up to the birds singing and the peaceful atmosphere of a still slumbering village. He awoke before dawn, as was his custom, and prepared himself for the day by taking a walk through the nearby wood. Normally the sounds of children and village life would filter through the trees, but this early in the morning, only the sounds of the wild life and nature itself came to his ears. His walk brought no reaction from the inhabitants of the trees, as his Sage powers caused him to be in touch with nature more than ever before. It was as if he was not present in the woods, and everything could continue like normal when a human was not there to interrupt daily life.

An hour passed quickly and when Naruto reentered the village, most of the villagers were up and about. The smell of breakfast cooking over fires. The lack of electricity was something that had taken some getting used to for him, as Konoha had electricity. It was a nice change though, and Naruto found that he enjoyed simple village life better than the larger scale life of the Leaf Village. Stopping just inside the main gate, that was actually just a six-foot fence that served as a boundary, Naruto felt a faint smile grace his lips. This was home now and this was where he belonged.

"Hisoka-sensei!" Naruto looked in the direction of the voice and saw two children running towards him, their arms spread wide. The smile on his face grew and he turned to them, accepting their embraces. "Akinori, Takara, how are you this fine day?" The male, Akinori, raised his head and spoke, "Fine, sir." The brown-haired, green-eyed boy was in his young adult years, and was very mature for his age.

"Sensei, are you going to train us today? Are you, are you?" Takara, Akinori's twin sister, questioned. Her big, green eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation. Naruto chuckled at the fifteen year old twins. They were almost polar opposites, but somehow managed to get along handsomely. Takara was bubbly, obnoxious, adventurous, and completely fearless, while Akinori was calm, more reserved, serious, and very cautious.

Ruffling their brown hair fondly, Naruto nodded in reply, "Yes, but not until we get something to eat. I am not doing any training with the two of you without eating something first." He paused, pretending to contemplate his next words before continuing, "Please do remember not to eat too much, Takara. We can't have you throwing up again..."

"Hisoka-sensei," Takara whined, "That was because I had the flu, and you know it." She stuck her tongue out at him and then finally released him, followed in motion almost instantly by her brother. Naruto followed the two to the home where the twins resided. The two had no parents, being orphaned at the young age of ten when raiders attacked and killed many of the villagers. They had lived along since then, but thankfully, the other villagers had been willing to help them survive.

Naruto's smile grew sad for a moment as his mind wandered. This was why he enjoyed the small village setting. In this kind of society, one was not shunned for being an orphan. When a tragedy occurred, everyone banded together to take of the entire village, orphans and all. He remembered all to well-being shunned not only because of his 'monster', but because he had no parents. He was different, and therefore, something to be feared in the eyes of the citizens of Konoha. Unknowingly, Naruto's fist clenched and his head lowered as he stopped at the threshold of the twins' home.

"Sensei?" Takara asked tentatively, staring at him with green eyes filled with worry. Naruto's head shot up and the sadness vanished from his face within seconds. "Come on, let's eat. I am starved!" He grinned and slipped past her, heading into the house. The smile did not reach his eyes, but he hoped she would not notice. He hated to cause his students to worry and tried his best not to fall into the past, but sometimes it seemed inevitable. It became even more difficult to avoid the past when he taught Takara and Akinori. They reminded him so much of Sasuke and himself, that it hurt to watch them at times. Shaking his head slightly, Naruto cleared his mind of such thoughts and sat down to enjoy a meal with his students.

The meal was peaceful and made a warm feeling to stir within Naruto's chest. It almost felt like having a family and he was always amazed at how much it affected him to enjoy this with someone. He had thought that it felt the same at Konoha with all of his 'friends', but after Sasuke left, it just did not feel the same. Even now, it did not feel quite right without the presence of a certain black-haired lake-boy. Naruto paused in his eating and stared at his plate, his fork inches from the food. The sadness started to wash over him again and he sighed deeply as he rubbed the side of his head with two fingers. He muttered curses under his breath as he started to get a headache. Being around other people brought back unwanted memories, hence the reason he lived alone in the outskirts of the village, outside of the fence.

He soon went back to his eating only to feel eyes on him. Raising blue to meet green, Naruto noticed the worry in his students' eyes. "What?" He questioned, though he knew what the question was going to be.

"You alright? If you are getting a headache again, I can make something for you to help it go away." Akinori said, his quiet voice barely breaking the uncomfortable silence that had followed Naruto's question.

"Yes, I am alright. No, I do not need anything. If you want to receive training, I suggest that you eat in silence without worrying about perfectly healthy sensei." Naruto gave the two a slight smile and then returned to his food. He kept the thoughts of the past at bay, for now, and when he pushed his empty plate away, Naruto bounced to his feet and headed for the back door without a word to the twins. He smirked at the sounds of hurried clean up and scrambling for equipment. The empty field that he had chosen as their training grounds was not far out of the village and was easy to get to, at least for him. The thick foliage was difficult to navigate for beginners like Akinori and Takara.

Naruto had originally chosen the space to be his own personal training ground and had been surprised when two young teenagers had managed to follow him. That was the first time he had met the twins and from that day on, they followed him around and watched him train. Naruto would have enjoyed remembering that part of his recent past, but was denied the pleasure by a sudden weight on his shoulders. It was not all that sudden for him, as he had sensed it coming, so he did not jump, only smiled. "Polite girls do not take flying leaps onto their sensei's back, 'Kara."  
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I wanna' train! Aki, hurry up, you slowpoke!"

"Ai! Don't yell in my ear, idiot!" Naruto replied, shrugging the girl off his back easily. Takara giggled and skipped ahead, flopping down on the soft grass of the meadow that served as the training ground. Naruto could barely hear Akinori coming, and was glad for his strong senses. The kid was stealthy, but was no match for his Sage senses, but Naruto had a feeling that one day, Akinori would be able to avoid detection from even him. "Alright, if you are so excited about training, why are you lying around?" Naruto replied, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. His voice was serious now, though he was smirking inside when quiet boy hurried his steps to stand beside his sister, who was getting up from the ground.

He studied his students for a moment and then started to bark out training orders. Nothing major, just simple techniques he wanted them to practice together. The two already knew the basics, such as teamwork and elementary chakra control. The fact that two random children from a tiny village had chakra was something that amazed Naruto every time he thought about it, but in his view, the best came from the most surprising backgrounds. Leaning against a tree to watch his students mock fight was entertaining and he continued to shout out tips and reminders. The two were quick learners and normally picked up on new things within the first or second day of training with the new technique or style.

_Ah, if only Baa-chan could see me now. Teaching students of my own and not being the obnoxious brat she liked. Ha, that old woman wouldn't know what hit her. Then again, she did look all depressed when I started acting like myself. Ah well. If she liked the fake me that much, it means I cannot be accepted in that world. _

Naruto sighed almost inaudibly and then shook his head again. He concentrated on his students once again, thankful for the distraction. This was where he belonged. Thoughts of his past life and Konoha should not have to plague him anymore. He had desperately tried to find a way to rid himself of the memories for the past four years, but the only way he had found was one that Kyuubi refused to do. It did not involve death or a near-death experience, only allowing the fox to suppress unwanted memories, but the jerk vehemently refused to do what Naruto wanted. Naruto just did not understand it. There was no reason for keeping the distracting memories around and there was no way that anyone was ever going to look for him, so why remember something that was never coming back? Sasuke...Sasuke was not important, not anymore. He was a part of a past life that no longer existed. It was time to forget. Akinori, Takara, Kyuubi and this village was all that Naruto needed.

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**How was it? By the way, Naruto's name means Secret. It was one of the ones on my list for character names and I thought it would fit his purposes very well. **

**Have any comments, suggestions, and/or questions? Leave me a review and I will make sure to answer anything that I can, not to mention thank you for reading and reviewing! Thank you ahead of time. ; )  
**

**I am very pleased with the positive response I have been receiving, especially on the number of views. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter enough to want to continue reading! **


	4. Sasuke Uchiha's Return?

**Thank you to those who have reviewed. I am happy to see any feedback. I am most definitely going to continue writing this.**

**Sadly, I must say that I do not own ****_Naruto_**** nor any thing associated with it, except for this story. If I owned ****_Naruto_****, the world be quite different. Sasuke would never have left and Naruto would have his best friend where he belongs. ; ) **

**This chapter is from Sasuke's P.O.V, so be ready for major OCCness on his part, at least in his thoughts. Again, I have created my version of the timeline. Differences will be found. Sasuke and Naruto have NOT seen each other for eight years. **

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**Two Weeks Earlier**

_I hate to admit it, but I have missed the sight of this place. Konoha seems to remain constant, even with the chaos of the outside world. It is...nice to see the village unchanged._

Though the handsome face was expressionless, Sasuke felt what could only be a tinge of excitement about returning to his old village. _Most importantly...Wait, there is not most importantly or any excitement. I am here because...because...Now that I think of it, why am I coming back?_

A tremendous sigh left the raven's throat and he stopped walking towards the large gates. Why the dobe's face kept on popping into his mind was beyond him, but he vaguely wondered if that had anything to with his current situation. He dismissed such thoughts and then suddenly sneezed. He blamed it on the sun that was growing steadily brighter by the minute. It was a little after dawn and the rising sun washed the world in a yellow glow, which reminded him of a certain loud-mouthed ninja.

Sasuke wanted very much to bash his head into a nearby surface, but was interrupted by shouts from the main gate. The guards had finally noticed him and were most likely contacting the Hokage. He could imagine the message was along the lines of, 'some one matching the Uchiha's description is standing at the main gate.' This made a very faint smirk appear on his lips for a moment before disappearing. He had no time for disruptive thoughts as the ANBU would appear momentarily.

Brushing off any dirt from his clothing, Sasuke put his hands up slightly and waited five seconds before six ANBU surrounded him. One with a lion mask questioned in a gruff voice, "Are you Sasuke Uchiha?"  
"I am." Sasuke replied quietly, staring at the gates of Konoha instead of the ANBU.

"What is your business here?"

"The same as yours." Sasuke answered, though he paused before continuing to reply, "I mean no harm to this village, its inhabitants, or the Hokage." He held out his hands towards them to allow himself to be restrained if they felt the need. Sasuke knew this made the ANBU glance at each other before the lion one nodded and placed chakra restraints on his wrists. The ANBU each placed a hand on him before disappearing in a poof of smoke and reappearing in the Hokage's office with a crack. "Hokaga-sama, we have apprehended Sasuke Uchiha."

The green chair swiveled around to reveal the large-chested Hokage. "This better not be a joke, I am..." Her voice faded as she took in the man who stood before her in restraints. It took several long minutes before Tsunade was able to speak again. "Sasuke, why are you here?"

"No reason." He replied, training his emotionless black holes on her. He knew she was going to press him for answers, but that did not mean he could not be stubborn.

"There is a reason. One does not simply betray their village, kill innocent people, and then return to their home village without a reason." The Hokage raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"Hn. If you must know, I have finished what I set out to do and have no need to stay on that side any longer." Sasuke averted his eyes from the woman Hokage, hoping that she would not think that returning had anything to do with the people he had left.

"Itachi is alive and well, how have you finished your goal?" Hokage questioned, her voice filled with suspicion.

"I set out to kill my brother, yes, but I found answers...answers that proved much more valuable than revenge on my brother." Sasuke replied quietly, still averting his eyes. He did not care that avoiding her gaze was suspicious. He refused to look at her eyes, in fear that she would see something that he did not understand himself. It was true that he had found answers and given up revenge, but his reasons went beyond that, and he still could not figure out why or how exactly.

"Somehow I do not trust you, Uchiha. You will be kept in a cell and Morino will make a visit." Tsunade replied, waving a hand at the ANBU, telling them to take him away.

"Will others be informed of my...return?" Sasuke muttered before he could be whisked away.

"Yes, but only the previous members of Team Seven...or at least the remaining ones." Tsunade whispered the last part, barely aware that she had let it past her lips, however, Sasuke heard it loud and clear. His head snapped up and his black eyes widened a centimeter. "Remaining ones?" He questioned, unable to keep the quiver of worry from his voice.

The woman seemed surprised by his expression and words, but did not hesitate in responding, "It is none of your business. Take him to his cell!" She snapped, giving a sharp nod to the ANBU, who quickly moved to the cells before Sasuke could retort. He did not put up a fight as the ANBU put him in a cell and reinforced it with a barrier. His thoughts were on the Hokage's words. _She said 'remaining ones'. Why would she say that? Did someone...did they...die? No, Kakashi is too smart, Naruto is too resilient, and Sakura...maybe it was her. No, she is always being protected. Naruto and Kakashi wouldn't let anything happen to her. Not that I care if any of them died, especially not the hag. They are just old baggage. Yeah, old baggage that means nothing to me. They aren't...aren't..._

"Sasuke Uchiha. Strange seeing you again, I must say." Sasuke raised his head and all inner debates immediately stopped when he caught sight of the scarred man who had given one of the tests for the Chunin exam years ago. Ibiki Morino. Sasuke would have shown fear if Uchihas' did such a thing, which they did not. He silently prepared himself for what was to come.

Three hours passed slowly for Sasuke. The pain had been manageable, but the memories had been almost un-bearable. The torturer had finished his work and now any secrets about the fate of Konoha were exposed, at least what Sasuke knew about such things. However, they were both confused on why there was no clear answer as to why he had returned to the village. If Morino found the answer, he did not tell Sasuke about it. A low grumble left the raven's mouth and he leaned against the bars of his cage. He clenched his jaw and stared blankly at the opposite wall, once again trying to puzzle out the Hokage's words.

His brow furrowed the more he thought. He had been here a whole of three and a half hours, so why had he not heard anything about the blond idiot? Now that he looked back, he realized he had not felt the familiar chakra signature of his rival. His face went even paler than normal, if that was even possible. "It couldn't have been him...No..." He whispered to himself without realizing that he had spoken out loud. The thought of the loud-mouthed blond not being alive any more made his heart feel like it was dropping.

_Why does the thought of him dead so much different from thoughts of the others dead? He is my rival, so shouldn't I be happy that the competition is gone? Why does it feel like my heart is going to stop beating? This makes no sense. __Besides, I do not know if he is actually dead. Maybe he is out on a mission or something along those lines. It is Naruto, after all._

Sasuke was about to fall asleep when the door to the room banged open and the Hokage herself walked up to the cell. "Morino reports that you passed with flying colors and gave us all the information that your brain holds."  
"Hn."

"You will stay here for the next week, before you are released and put under surveillance at all times." Tsunade paused, as if thinking about what to say next, "Old teammates of yours will want to see you. Even though you are a prisoner, would you like to see them?"

Sasuke listened to her words with hidden excitement. He hated being in cells; it reminded him too much of Orochimaru. The sooner he was released, the better he would feel. The statement and question about teammates coming to see him was not surprising, but it still sent a strange jolt of emotion through his body that he could not hide. "I suppose it would be fine." He was proud of himself from keeping the excited trembling from his voice. For some reason, Sasuke was not thinking about Kakashi or Sakura, but of Naruto.

He wanted to see Naruto and even wanted to get into the childish fights that they always got into when they were younger. A thought crossed his mind and he stopped in his hidden excitement, his heart stopping. _Will HE want to see me? I tried to kill him at the Valley of the End. I put a Chidori through his chest! I tried to kill my best friend. I heard many rumors of his deeds afterword, so I know he is not dead because of me, but still...Why would he want to see the person who proclaimed him as their best friend and then shoved their hand through his chest?  
_

The memory of what he had done made Sasuke sick to his stomach. He had let his quest for revenge and power cloud his mind to the point where he would harm the person he cared for. He ran his hands through his raven hair and groaned softly, hating himself more. Eventually, he fell asleep, curled in a fetal position on the cot.

* * *

_The rain poured down as Sasuke leaned over the still body of his best friend. He said nothing, but the tears that slipped down his face and mixed with the rain spoke louder than a thousand words. One tear hit Naruto's face and mixed with one of the blonde's own tears, creating a larger path down the whiskered cheeks. Sasuke wanted to touch the wet face one last time, but refused to allow himself such weakness. Dropping the scratched hitai-ate beside the barely alive Naruto, Sasuke sped away, willing the tears to stop. "Naruto...I am sorry." He whispered before he was completely out of sight. He was sure the other had not heard him, which made him feel better at the moment. Watching Kakashi come and collect the most likely unconscious boy made feelings bubble up inside him, feelings that he pushed away. He was free now, free to take revenge and seek the power that he needed. _

* * *

_Don't go, you idiot! Go after them, don't let them take him away! Make sure that he is alright, do not walk away! Don't you dare! _Sasuke thrashed on the cot, sweating and panting. The screams that left his throat brought the ANBU to his room, who in turn brought Tsunade.  
"Sasuke, wake up! It is just a dream." She said, walking over to the cot to reach out a hand to the upset boy, only to be swatted away by a stretched out hand.

"Naruto! Don't..." Sasuke woke up then, sitting straight up before burying his face in his hands. His shoulders shook, but no tears fell from his eyes. He did not realize someone was in the room until a hand was rested on his shoulder. His head snapped up and he stared blankly at the Hokage. "W-What are you doing here?" He mentally cursed himself for letting his voice crack.

"Your screaming woke up the entire building." The statement made Sasuke's eyes widen and he put his face back into his hands with an almost inaudible groan.  
"Dreaming about the idiot?" Tsunade questioned. Sasuke stiffened and then reluctantly nodded his head. "The Valley of the End..." He whispered, figuring there was no point in hiding what he was dreaming about from the Hokage.

"What exactly happened that day, Sasuke?" He looked at her then, confused, though it barely showed on his pale face. "He never told you? I thought the idiot would blab all about the events that went on there once he got back."

Tsunade shook her head, "No, he refused to say more than he had failed to bring you back. When he came into the hospital, he was clutching a slashed hitai-ate and mumbling your name while crying, more like sobbing. I had to sedate him before he made his injury worse. By the way, where did that gaping hole come from?"

Sasuke buried his face further into his hands and then his knees which he pulled up to his chest. _You refused to say anything, but why? If you do not want the details being told, maybe I should keep such things to myself as well. That was one memory that I managed to keep from Morino. _Sasuke shook his head at Tsunade's question, silently refusing to answer her. He did not know why Naruto had refused to mention anything about that day, but if the blond did not want the events broadcasted, then he would honor the blond's wish.

He heard a sigh and then the sounds of the people leaving his room. He laid back down and found that he could not sleep. He lay there until the door of the dark room opened again, letting the morning light shine in. Inside the cell, Sasuke blinked to adjust his eyes to the newfound light and he accepted the food that was offered to him. The ANBU had to open the barrier partly to slide the food into the cell. The next week passed, following the same routine. He would receive three healthy meals a day, have occasional visits from the Hokage, mostly at night when he screamed through his nightmares. The only oddity was his dreams. Instead of dreaming of the death of his family or horrid memories of Orochimaru, he dreamed about Naruto. Some of the dreams were good, but in the end, they would return to the Valley of the End and he would jerk awake to find Tsunade beside him. After that, he was unable to sleep and waited patiently for the door to open, signaling morning.

When the morning of his last day in the cell came, not that he was counting the days or anything, the door was opened not by an ANBU, but Kakashi. The silver-haired man was easy to recognize, even after eight years. "Nice to see you again, Sasuke." He said as he approached the cell.

"Hn." Sasuke nodded to the man, feeling suddenly awkward. He did not show it, but was certain that he had given something away, judging by the look that went through the other man's eye.

"I would ask why you are here, but you have not been very forthcoming about that, I am told."  
Sasuke shrugged and sat up in his cot. He glanced behind Kakashi to the open door, hoping that a certain blond was waiting around the corner.

"He is not here," came the quiet reply that made Sasuke's heart plummet. Questioning black eyes turned to Kakashi, and Sasuke knew that he was letting his old sensei see emotions that he should keep inside. He should have been able to turn towards him with an expressionless face, but somehow he was unable to put up a mask right away.

"If the Hokage has not told you already, she will eventually. It is not my place to tell you." Kakashi lowered his head for a moment before raising it and saluting Sasuke in his loose way. "See ya' around." He walked out, brushing past a girl with bubble-gum pink hair. The girl walked slowly up to the cell and crossed her arms. Sasuke realized that this was Sakura, who had definitely matured over the eight years. She was by no means beautiful, but she had grown rather pretty. Sasuke could tell with one look that she was strong, but there was something heavy on her heart, as he had noticed when Kakashi spoke about Naruto.

"It is good to see you, Sasuke. It has been different without you." Sasuke studied the girl before him, taking in her sincere facial expressions. "I have one question for you..." _Oh, no. She hasn't given up, has she? Seriously, after eight years she is still going on about 'loving me' and 'perfect Sasuke'. Ugh! I thought I had gotten rid of such things after I left this village. "..._Sasuke...Why did you leave? You broke my heart, but do you know how much it hurt Naruto? He...He...WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" She shouted, her fists shaking with what was presumably rage.

Sasuke's eyes widened, he had not been expecting that. She was yelling about Naruto and the pain he went through, instead of her own? He swallowed hard, suddenly feeling guilty again. He lowered his head and shook it, knowing that explaining would only make her angrier and go against Naruto's wishes to keep what happened to themselves. However, staying quiet seemed to make her angrier as well. The barrier apparently been taken down in the night, as the bars of the cell were dented by the force of Sakura's hit. Sasuke was suddenly thankful for the cell. He was pretty sure that the curse seal would not have been able to stop the impact of her fist.

After she had cooled down a bit, Sasuke spoke up, "Where is he?" It was said in little more than whisper, but Sakura heard it. Staring at her, Sasuke saw what looked to be sorrow and pain in her eyes. "He...He..." She visibly swallowed hard and appeared to blink back tears before running out of the room. Sasuke tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. Why was Naruto such a touchy subject? There was no way he was dead, as he had originally thought. The idiot wouldn't go and die when he had things unfinished. He did not have much time thing, however, as several ANBU entered the room and led him out of his cell. Before he could question where they were going, they disappeared and reappeared in the Hokage's office. Kakashi and Sakura were both present, along with someone who looked suspiciously like Shikamaru. Tsunade sat at her desk with a serious expression on her face.

"Sasuke Uchiha, you betrayed this village and did unspeakable things while under the wing of Orochimaru. What do you have to say for yourself?"  
"I am guilty of said charges, but I, as the rumors have claimed, killed the snake and have returned to Konoha in search of forgiveness of my childish mistakes." Sasuke saw that Sakura, Kakashi, and the possible Shikamaru were all looking at him with expressions akin to shock and surprise. The old Uchiha would never have said such things to anyone, but Sasuke knew now was not the time for airs or masks, it was time for the truth.

"You are aware that you will be watched by ANBU until we view you trustworthy?" Sasuke replied with a sharp nod and Tsunade continued, "You will not be allowed to leave this village without escort of both Jounin and ANBU. You will live in a provided home. Understood?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Sasuke bowed and then glanced at his old teammates. They were both avoiding his gaze, causing his brow to furrow slightly. The man he assumed to be Shikamaru approached him, "I have been assigned to take you to your new accommodations, what a bother." _Definitely Shikamaru. _He put a hand on Sasuke's forearm and led him out of the Hokage's office. Once they were on main street level, Shikamaru led the way to a small apartment building. Sasuke glanced around when they entered, the woman at the desk offered a faint smile before going back to her work. Sasuke was glad to see that the place was quiet and the apartment that they stopped in front of was on the highest floor. The place only had three stories, but it was high enough for him to feel comfortable. The closer to the sky, the safer he felt. All of Orochimaru's hideouts had been underground or had one level above ground.

Shikamaru's cough brought him out of his thoughts and they entered the apartment. "ANBU will be watching." Sasuke turned to the other man only to find him gone, with only his last words filling the space. He was left alone, not that he minded too terribly much. Looking around, Sasuke found that his new home had two bedrooms, a bathroom, and a joined kitchen/dining room/living room space. It was all simply furnished and clean, though the walls were bare, it was something he could get used to. "Home sweet home, I suppose." He muttered to himself before picking the bedroom on the right side of the hall as his own and plopping into the bed with a sigh. Sleep claimed him quicker than he thought was possible and he found that only nightmare plagued him that night, the memory of the Valley of the End, but this time Naruto died.

* * *

**Naruto and his point of view will not return for a chapter or two. Sasuke gets to take over for a bit. Sasuke seem to OOC to you? I apologize, but this is a fanfic, and my second one.  
Have any questions/suggestions/reviews? Send me a message or write me a review! ; ) I hope you have enjoyed this chapter, and I apologize for it taking longer than the last two to get out. Writing for Sasuke seems to take longer for me and this chapter was the longest yet. Ah well. Expect the next chapter within the next week or two! Sasuke might find out about Naruto...You never know. **


	5. Wait For Me

**Thanks to Sylvia-san, Dei-kun, and Mrs. Morpheus who have reviewed. : ) I am glad that you have enjoyed it and are encouraging me to continue. I also would like to thank those who are following this story. You all are definitely helping me stick to this story. **

**P.S. Oh, there will be guilt on a certain raven's part. Do not worry. ;)**

* * *

How much time had passed, Sasuke was unsure, for his thoughts were filled with the absence of a shining ball of sunshine that made the Leaf Village what it was. Every knock made Sasuke bolt to the door and practically jerk it open in hope of seeing a familiar head of blond hair. After the first ten hopeful door-opening incidents, he eventually trudged the door and opened it with a slightly hopeful jerk. Each time he was greeted with people from the old days, who were stopping by to say hello or to bring him things. Sasuke learned quickly to not mention Naruto to any of them after attempting to get some information from Team Eight. Hinata had burst into tears, Kiba had almost punched him, and Shino, well, he had just stood there. The reactions he had received from them, plus the others he had asked, made him very curious. The lack of the blond's presence made him feel nervous.

The dreams about Naruto dying had increased, so much so that he found it harder than normal to sleep. Where was the dobe? The Jounin and Chunin had all been told of his return, so they had all come to visit him during the past few days, but there had been no visits from the blond. Sasuke had even been forced to meet his 'replacement', Sai, who was creepy, to say the least. He could not understand how Sakura seemed to like the other man.

A particularly loud knock forced him out of his current state of brooding and Sasuke leapt off the couch in a very un-Uchiha manner and attempted to run to the door, but tripped and stumbled his way across the apartment, landing against the door with a thud. He grunted and then opened the door, hoping that this time it was the person he was waiting for. His hopes were crushed, however, when he saw Kakashi standing in front of his door. Sasuke could tell that the man was grinning beneath his mask, which made him glare at the silver-haired Jounin.

"Having some troubles, Sasuke?" The raven in question gave him no reply and Kakashi continued, "The Hokage has ordered your presence in her office. I am to escort you."

Sasuke shrugged slightly and stepped out of his apartment, shutting the door behind him. Letting the other man take hold of his arm, Sasuke closed his eyes and kept them shut until he heard a second pop, signaling their arrival. Opening black eyes, he stared across a desk at the Hokage. "Sasuke, I think it is time I told you."

Confused, Sasuke settled into the offered chair and barely raised one thin eyebrow. What was the old hag going to tell him? If it had anything to do with the council, getting married, or having children with some chick, he was out of there.

"You have noticed the absence of Naruto's chakra and presence, I hope." Sasuke nodded in reply, worry building inside with every word. "Sasuke, the truth is...The truth is that Naruto..."

"Lady Tsunade, Lady Tsunade!"

Sasuke inwardly groaned when she was interrupted by someone banging through the door, shouting. Glancing behind him, he found that it was Shizune, her friend and aide. He heard a sigh and looked back at the desk, where Tsunade's veins were visibly popping on her head. "Shizune, did you not know that I am in an important meeting? This better be important." Sasuke could tell that she was trying hard not to explode. Shizune swallowed audibly and then replied, "T-There have been sightings of the Akatsuki in the Bird Country."

"Bird Country? That is new. I was not aware of a Jinchuurki in that area. Hm..." Tsunade looked back at Sasuke, "We will continue this later. Get out of my office."

Sasuke wanted to complain, but nodded and then got up, leaving the room. He got as far as the doorway before Kakashi joined him again. "Bad timing for an interruption." Sasuke gave the Jounin a glare and continued walking, his curiosity not lessening. He gave the other man a glare that summed up his thoughts of murder. Kakashi held the gaze with what looked to be a grin beneath the mask. "I had nothing to do with it." The eyes of his former sensei grew serious as did his voice, "You will learn about Naruto soon. The Hokage herself must tell you, do not ask any one else. If you do, they will give you the same response." He paused and then walked away while saying one last sentence. "Sasuke, be prepared."

Sasuke trudged after him and kept his head down, his bangs hiding his face. _What has happened to you, Naruto? Why will no one tell me about you? I just...No, I can't want to know about the dobe. Worry should not be wasted on him. He would not be taken down easily. Even a Chidori to the chest can't kill him, though I know I did not hit his heart. He is the sun, and the sun cannot die...__Sasuke Uchicha! What the heck are you thinking? He does not matter. He is not a friend, he is not...not...Wait...AH! What the heck?! Why are my own thoughts so messed up? Naruto has nothing to do with anything. Sure, I am worried about him, but that doesn't...Oh, here I go again. This argument is going nowhere. _

"Sasuke?" He jerked his head up and found himself staring directly into Kakashi's face. He almost screamed, almost, but he was an Uchiha and they did not scream. He steeled his expression and glared at his sensei. "What?" He snapped. Kakashi straightened and gave him a grin, "We are here, but you seem a bit lost, maybe we should just continue walking."

Rolling his eyes, Sasuke pushed past the man and entered his apartment building, the other man following. The fact he had been so deep in his thoughts that he had not realized that they had stopped was disturbing to him. Why could the blond idiot affect his brain so much when he was not even present? An unintended sigh slipped past his lips as he stopped outside his apartment door. He caught Kakashi giving him a weird look and Sasuke shot him another glare. Slamming the door in the man's face, Sasuke suppressed a growl of annoyance. He moved across the room like a ghost and then collapsed on the couch. He needed a nap, but thoughts of a blinding head of yellow hair kept on invading his thoughts. "ARGH!" He finally yelled before burying his head beneath a pillow. He banged his head down against the couch before burrowing deeper into the fabric and eventually falling asleep.

When he awoke again, his chest hurt and a horrible feeling gathered in his gut. Unburying himself from within the couch, Sasuke got up and trudged through the apartment. He exited the bathroom some time after and found Kakashi and Shikamaru at the kitchen counter, sitting on stools. He ignored them while he made himself toast. While he stood over the toaster, he found that he couldn't contain himself any longer. Betraying his 'Uchiha-ness', Sasuke blurted out a question that had been on his mind since the meeting with the Hokage. "What are Jinchuurki?" He did not turn from toast making, but he knew the two men behind him were giving him odd looks. _  
_

"Orochimaru did not share much with you; I must say I am surprised." Sasuke stared into the toaster as Kakashi spoke, "I suppose I can tell you some of what I know. You are aware of the nine tailed beasts, I assume?" Sasuke nodded slightly, but gave no other sign of understanding. "In the last Ninja War, the leaders decided to use these demons as weapons. Before you ask, they came up with a way to suppress the pure, demonic power...They sealed some of the beasts into humans." Dropping his now done toast on a plate, Sasuke turned to the counter and leaned against it slightly. "They became so used to the momentary safety that this brought the villages after the war, that they continued the practice; some taking it to the point of implanting the creature before birth."

Something dawned on Sasuke at the moment and he raised his head from his toast, "Sabuku?" Kakashi replied with a nod. Sasuke felt a nagging feeling in his chest and realized the horrible feeling had gotten worse. If the Gaara of the Sand was a demon-holder, how Naruto had beaten him, surprised Sasuke. Then again, Naruto always did things that were surprising to him. "The idea of Jinchuurki is widely accepted, especially in other villages. Konoha does not readily accept the Jinchuurki way." Kakashi continued and sighed softly when he finished. Shikamaru muttered his favorite word and rubbed the back of his head.

"Jinchuurki are hated for being different, and for housing the demon within them. Many believe that they are the demon themselves. Most Jinchuurki find ways to deal with the hatred, but some lose themselves in the darkness."

"So there are eight Jinchuurki, excluding one for the Nine-Tailed Fox?" Sasuke questioned, focusing on his toast for a moment before glancing up just in time to catch Shikamaru and Kakashi sharing a glance that made it seem that they were hiding something.  
"Yes, but that is all the information that I am allowed to tell you." The two men on the other side of the counter stood and headed for the door, leaving Sasuke staring at his toast once again. _They are hated, called demons, and there are eight...What was that glance for? What are they not telling me? Actually, what is every one not telling me? Naruto missing and this Jinchuurki business, so many secrets that I do not like. _

Groaning yet again, Sasuke moved about the rest of his business that morning with his mind full of confusing, conflicting thoughts. He lost track of time and forgot to eat as often as his body wanted him to. Hours that should have been spent sleeping, were spent staring at the ceiling thinking and worrying about Naruto. He did not bother to contain the strange emotions of worry and fear about the blond, for there was no one around to see them. His guards no longer visited him in person, and he did not care what they thought of him. His Uchiha mask had slipped as he let his stress show.

Finally, why he had come back to the village dawned on him. Naruto. It was the idiot, his best friend, that brought him back and had kept him semi-sane these eight years. "Naruto...I came, but you aren't here? How is that fair?" He muttered, running a hand through his messed up hair. The exact reasons as to why Naruto's presence, or rather lack of presence, in his life had convinced him to come back to Konoha were still beyond him.

Though part of the answer had come to him, Sasuke dared not to ask the ANBU for an audience with the Hokage. He would wait until she called for him. Calling out to her would most likely make her annoyed with his interruptions in important business. He wanted to know about Naruto, and he did not wait patiently, but he was quiet about his impatience. For the following week, he slept little and practically starved himself with worry and fear. If Naruto was dead, Sasuke was unsure what he would do. When the request came for him to see the Hokage, Sasuke leapt to attention and hurried after Kakashi. He kept his excitement and anxiousness hidden as best he could, not wanting to alert anyone to the fact he had worried about the answer he was going to receive about Naruto.

Resisting the urge to burst into the Hokage's office, Sasuke entered calmly, suddenly thankful for his 'Uchiha-ness'. The Hokage was serious, so he quickly sat in a chair opposite her desk. "How have you been, Sasuke?"

"Fine." He was growing more anxious by the second. Wasting time on small talk was not something he ever wanted to do, but especially not in this instance.

"Good. I am aware that we never got to finish our conversation from before. Judging by the look on that normally expressionless face of yours, Uchiha, I should cut right to the chase." Sasuke's eyes widened a millimeter at her comment. He could not believe that he was actually showing emotion without noticing it. "The truth about Naruto is...He is missing."

Sasuke felt any form of a mask that was remaining on his face fall. "What do you mean?" He managed to utter, voice quiet and almost scared.  
"I mean what I said. Naruto disappeared, more like left, four years ago without a trace."

"This is the same Naruto we are talking about, right? The idiot who could barely keep himself alive?" Sasuke questioned, gripping the arm of the chair tightly.

"I am afraid so. He told me he was afraid of hiding his true self and left the village. I suspected he would do something drastic, but not as drastic as leaving the Leaf Village alone. I am unsure on what he meant, but I have a feeling that there is more to Naruto than even what I know. Before you say another word, yes, I know more than you about the idiot."

"Do you know where he is now?"  
"No. He managed to avoid every single retrieval team I sent out. Byakugan, ninja dogs, and Sharingan, and even Kiba's nose couldn't find a trail or a glimpse of Naruto. Apparently, Naruto is much smarter than anyone anticipated." Tsunade sighed, clearly extremely worried about the boy.

"Why are you telling me this now?"  
"You were his friend, were you not? Keeping you in the dark would not have been beneficial, anyways, and..."  
"And...?"  
"You might be able to help us out. You were the one who fought with Naruto the most, and were probably the closest to him."  
"You want me to go and find him, even with a trail that is four years cold." Sasuke replied, not amused by this suggestion. Sure, he wanted to get the dobe back as much as the Hokage did, but why was he the man for the job? Naruto hated him and had apparently changed over the last eight years, so much so that Sasuke was afraid that what he knew of the other man would be wrong.

"If you find him and successfully bring him back to Konoha, you will be granted more freedom. It will be a great advantage in gaining my trust." Tsunade said calmly, though her eyes were begging Sasuke to accept the request. Sasuke paused, studying the Hokage's face and judging his own thoughts. _How hard could it be to find my best friend? Even if he has changed, how much could he really have changed? According to the Hokage, he is smarter, but this is still Naruto that we are talking about. He will always be an idiot at heart. _

Taking a deep breath, Sasuke replied, "I accept. When do I leave?" Tsunade's face visibly lightened and relaxed. "Today, if possible. No one will accompany you on this mission, but be warned...We have eyes everywhere."  
Sasuke swallowed hard at the hard gaze that she gave him and nodded briskly. Leaving her office and hurrying to his apartment, Sasuke wondered for the hundredth time why he was allowing Naruto to rule his actions. The best reason he could come up with, was that the blond was his best friend that had risked everything to try to get him back and never stopped believing in him, even when he had stopped believing in himself. He knew he felt incredibly guilty about Naruto's disappearance, feeling that he had something to do with it.

_I will find you, Naruto. For both our sakes, I will force you to come home, if it is the last thing I do. Wait for me, Naruto, wherever you are. Wait for me, my blond dobe._

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**How was it? Good, terrible, or so-so? I know it took me a while to get this chapter out, but again, it took me longer than I expected. Writing for Sasuke takes more thought on my part. Naruto is more my style than Sasuke. Ah well, as long as I am not completely boring you all to death, I can live with it. I truly hope you enjoy and are looking forward to the next chapter! **

**Again, please read and review! Thank you! **


	6. A Reunion, Of Sorts

**I am happy to see that people enjoyed the last chapter and I apologize for the long hiatus. **

**Dei-kun: I understand your review and I appreciate it. I will definitely try to make Sasuke more like himself, but I would like to point out that I am creating my "own". I will try my best to keep the raven like himself on the outside, but his drifty thoughts are portraying his confused state of mind about Naruto at this point in time. As the story progresses, I hope to put a stop to the 'drifty-thoughts-Sasuke'. Please stick with me until that happens and give me pointers, etc. Thank you many times over! *sheepish smile* **

**On a side note, this chapter shall contain both Sasuke and Naruto.**

* * *

_**The**_ following three months passed slowly for Naruto. The training with Takara and Akinori was something to look forward each day, but the time in between was dull and boring. Somehow, he had run out of things to do. One day, while relaxing in between training sessions, Naruto felt something tickle the back of his mind. Sitting upright from his reclined position beneath a tree, Naruto tensed and studied the surroundings. His students stopped messing around and turned to watch him, worried expressions on their faces. Something or someone was coming, and it was not welcome in the forest. He rose quietly to his feet and gripped a kunai. It soon became clear to him that the approaching thing was headed past them, towards the village. He motioned for his students to stay where they were as he hurried out of the training area, hoping to cut off the intruder or intruders before they entered the town. The thought of it possibly being Akatsuki crossed his mind and his grip on the kunai tightened. He pulled up the hood of his cloak and hoped that it was not so.

The chakra signatures soon came to him and he found that there was only one and it seemed...vaguely familiar. Akatsuki almost always travelled in pairs, so his fears of it being them dissipated. His guard, however, did not go down. Catching up to the being was easier said than done, for they were nearly as fast as he was, and when he caught sight of his prey, his brow furrowed at the hooded figure. He cut in front of them from the side, effectively surprising them with his successful, constant chakra veiling. As they dropped from the trees to the path below and stood within ten feet of each other, Naruto studied the figure before him with expressionless eyes. Whoever it was, they had traveled for a while, their cloak was worn and filthy. "Who are you and what is your business here?" He said in a low, threatening voice.

The hooded figure seemed to study Naruto as well before answering with a deep, grating voice. "My business is my own. I am only seeking passage through these parts."

"There is no passage through this place. Beyond here is only wilderness. Tell me the true reason for your arrival." Naruto replied, his eyes narrowing beneath the shade of the cloak's hood.

The other seemed to pause before he replied in a quiet voice, "I am searching for someone...A friend."

"Hm..." _Why would anyone come looking in the Moon Country? I sense no danger from him for now. I guess I can let him stay, but keep a close eye on him. _"I do not trust you, but I will allow you to look for your friend, as long as you are watched." _  
_

"Very well. It will do." Before Naruto could turn around and lead the way, the figure fell forward. Raising an eyebrow, Naruto quickly caught the man and hoisted him on to his shoulder. He held back his curiosity and left the hood covering the man's face. Running back to the village was more of a chore than he was used to, as the added weight of the stranger weighed him down unnaturally.

* * *

_**Sasuke**_ moved through the strange Moon Country. He had traveled for three months, searching for Naruto, to no avail. There was not a hint of the boy's presence. It did not help that he had to be careful not to tip the Akatsuki off about his movements. The Hokage had mentioned something about it being dangerous for everyone if the organization found about Leaf movement outside of the Fire Country. He had asked no questions, only believed the wisdom of the Hokage. She was a drunkard and a gambler, but she had her moments.

The Moon Country was one of the last places he expected to find Naruto, so he had decided to search there, after all, he was looking for the Leaf's Number One Unpredictable Ninja. Besides, by the Hokage's description of the 'new' Naruto, as she called him, he was different and would most likely hide somewhere unexpected. He, however, did not believe that the dobe could have changed as drastically as the others had described. Naruto was always going to be the blond idiot. Naruto being a genius in disguise was a stretch; a cover for the other ninja's failures.

Turning his thoughts from Naruto, Sasuke was slightly relieved to see signs that a town was nearby. The well-worn path and distant sounds of children laughing were a good indicator that whatever was up ahead had a possibility of being friendly. He was in desperate need of a shelter for the fast approaching night and a town would do nicely. Hurrying his steps, Sasuke jumped into the trees. After a few minutes, he thought he heard someone following him, but he sensed no chakra, which was odd. He kept up the same fast pace until a blur of brown obscured his vision.

Descending from the trees with surprise, Sasuke stared at the hooded figure before him. He was almost amazed that this being had managed to avoid detection and outrun him. "Who are you and what is your business here?" The threatening questions were practically muttered in a low voice.

Sasuke studied the figure and then replied, after a long pause, "My business is my own. I am only seeking passage through these parts. "

"There is no passage through this place. Beyond here is only wilderness. Tell me the true reason for your arrival." This reply made Sasuke mentally swear. How was he supposed to know there was nothing beyond the town ahead? He had no map and was basically wandering aimlessly through the Moon Country. Hesitating, he answered in a quiet voice, "I am searching for someone...A friend." His body felt a bit numb, strangely.

He got a, "Hm...", as a reply, at first, but after a pause, the stranger continued, "I do not trust you, but I will allow you to look for your friend, as long as you are watched."

_Oh, how fun. Watched wherever I go, I guess I am not trustworthy even as a harmless stranger. _"Very well. It will do." He went to take a step forward, but instead found himself falling face first, only to be caught by a strong back. He went to retort being helped as he was placed on a shoulder, but he could not make sounds leave his mouth. His brain refused to understand the signals he was trying to send to it and then it decided to take a nap, causing him to fade into unconsciousness on the stranger's back.

* * *

_**Naruto**_ arrived at his home and heaved the unconscious man on to the only bed in the building. Removing his cloak and tossing it in the corner, Naruto stared at the man. After convincing himself that it was the only way to find out whether the stranger was wounded, he set to work removing the cloak. He unlatched it first, then carefully removed the strong arms from the sleeves, and lastly, lowered the hood. The spiked raven hair and solemn face caused Naruto's breath to catch. If Naruto had been a lesser man, he would have murmured the name that leapt to his mind. He reprimanded himself for thinking that anyone would come looking for him and continued with his work. He lifted the man up and took the cloak out from underneath him. Letting him fall gently back on to the pillow, Naruto quickly folded the dirty cloak and put it on the bed beside the man.

Studying the man, who was clothed in shinobi attire and carried a chokutō in a black scabbard. Both details made his heart beat faster, even though there was no way it was Sasuke. Quickly determining that the man had no physical injuries, Naruto decided that all the man needed was food and rest. He took a deep breath to calm himself as a few short raps sounded at his door. Knowing who it was, Naruto simply replied with a, "Come in." His students entered the home and soon appeared in the bedroom. "Sensei! We thought we had lost you! You had us worried! Where did you go and who is that man?" Takara's big mouth rattled off in a matter of seconds.

Shaking his head, Naruto turned to the teenagers. "I sensed an intruder in the woods and went after them. This is that intruder. He appears exhausted."

Akinori seemed surprised and he spoke up, "An intruder? Would that not make him an enemy to eliminate?"  
Naruto's face hardened and he crossed his arms, "Do not be so quick to kill. You must first determine if the intruder is a danger before you eliminate them. Considering this man collapsed, I have judged him not a threat until he awakens, then we shall see his true nature."

"Yes, sir. I am sorry." Naruto relaxed and smiled slightly. "Do not apologize, only remember what I have told you. Now, Takara, can you gather some ingredients for that delicious soup you make when someone is tired? He will be hungry if and when he awakens."  
Takara nodded and bounced to her feet, bounding out of the door to do the appointed task. Akinori settled into a chair across the room and waited for further instructions.

Naruto, for once forgetting that his student was in the room, stared at the stranger and furrowed his brow. "Why do you remind me of him? He would never come for me." He reached out and brushed bangs from the man's face so he could see his face better. Doing that only caused the resemblance to grow worse. Sighing, he picked up the cloak and turned around. He jumped as he realized that Akinori had been sitting behind him the entire time. The boy said nothing, thankfully, and Naruto kept the heat from his face the best he could. He was glad that it had been Akinori and not Takara who had been behind him. He would have been bombarded with questions if it had been his other student.

He moved out of the bedroom and into the kitchen while sighing. Starting a fire in his cook top, Naruto placed a pot of water on top and waited for Takara to return. He glanced over to the resting stranger and wished he could go into full Sage mode to tell whether the stranger meant any harm. He had chosen not to reveal the full extent of his powers to his students, in fear of revealing too much to them and putting them in danger. Staring into the lightly bubbling water, he found himself thinking of times past. Had the door not opened and slammed shut, Naruto would have stayed in his state of deep thought.

Turning to the approaching teenager, he motioned towards the cook top and moved away to make room for Takara, who quickly went to work. Naruto hoped that the smell of food being prepared would awaken the mystery guest. Returning to the bedroom, he sat down in the chair that Akinori had, by now, vacated. "Go ahead and help your sister; I will be fine here." He muttered, knowing Akinori was going to ask for instruction. After the boy left the room, Naruto let his eyes settle on the man. He allowed himself to stare and to study. This man reminded him of Sasuke in ways that hurt him deeply, for the voice and face was eerily similar, even though it had been eight years since their last meeting. This was how Naruto had imagined Sasuke looking as an adult. He knew that it was nothing more than wishful thinking and circumstances, but he was unable to stop himself from hoping and wishing that the man on the bed was his long-lost friend.

Subconsciously, out of the hidden wishes of his heart, after seeing the man before him, he had decided that this was the image of Sasuke. His wishful thinking had caused all of his previous images of Sasuke to be replaced by the current image before him of the stranger. There was no other logical explanation for this phenomenon. Sasuke was not laying on the bed, but rather someone who Naruto wished was him and had subconsciously decided was him. Seeing his best friend again was the deepest want Naruto had and was something he had been unable to suppress easily, so the feeling of longing reared its ugly head at the worst moments.

He could do nothing more than take deep breaths to help untangle his scrambled thoughts. He felt the strange tickle of a familiar chakra coming from the man, but ignored it, knowing it was not real. He decided then that he was going to feign ignorance if the stranger appeared to know him or was Sasuke, both of which he sincerely doubted would happen. He closed his eyes and waited for his students to appear with the prepared soup or the man to wake up.

* * *

***Whew* That took more time than I thought it would! I hope this chapter was enjoyable and the wait was worthwhile. Thank you to all who read this. I aim to have the next chapter out soon...****  
**


	7. Possible Recognition

**Yo. Here is Chapter 7! Thank you for the views and reviews of the last chapter. I hope that this chapter is to your liking.**

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**_The _**soup smelled tantalizing and Naruto had to restrain himself from sneaking a bite or two as he took the bowl from Takara. "Thank you, little one." He set the bowl on the bedside table as the man was still sleeping. He had to keep himself from staring at the man who looked too much like his former best friend. He figured it was because of the bonds that he had shared with Sasuke that he felt a need to see the other man again, so much so that he was imagining the stranger before him was Sasuke. Naruto's face hardened as he remembered when Sasuke had tried to break the bonds they shared. _For once, I beat him to it. I broke those bonds, a long time ago..._

"Hisoka-sensei, is there anything else we can do for you?" Akinori quietly asked, glancing between Naruto and the man on the bed.

Naruto shook his head, cleared his mind, and replied, "No, it is getting a bit late, so why don't you two go home and rest up for tomorrow? You will want to get inside before dusk, which quickly approaches."

Takara whined, "You just wanna' be alone with the stranger when he wakes up, sensei! That isn't fair..."  
Naruto mentally thanked himself for the ability to slap on a mask within seconds, as he did not react to the statement. "I want no such thing, young lady. He may be a danger and it would be best for there only to be one person for him to see when he awakens, so he does not feel threatened. Besides, he may stay asleep till morning. Now, move along and good-night."

After a short retort and a bit of attitude, his students left him alone. Getting up from the stool, he retrieved his own cloak and slipped it back on, putting the hood up. Taking the stranger's cloak and folding it, he placed it beside the bed. He stared at the stranger and then decided to try and wake him up. "I have soup for you, and if you don't wake up, I am going to eat it." He gave into the overwhelming urge and poked the man in the cheek while muttering, "Wakey, wakey..."

In a final attempt to try and awaken the stranger, Naruto picked up the bowl of soup and stirred a few times, making sure to make clanging noises while doing so. Thankfully, before he had to resort to other methods, he noticed the man's eyelids flickering. Now it was time to prove that this man was not Sasuke. He waited for the lids to lift and when they did, what he saw made his heart skip a beat. Black orbs that seemed to see straight to his soul stared back at him.

There was a long pause before Naruto held out the bowl. "You fainted and I brought you here. Eat and regain your strength." Just because the eye and hair color were the same did not mean that this man was Sasuke. The pale complexion meant little either, for there were plenty of people out there with an almost white complexion. Plenty of people...

The man sat up slowly and took the soup after hesitating for a moment. He started to eat, though he clearly appeared suspicious. "Do not fret, the soup is not poisoned. If I were to poison you, how would I know your true intentions, hm?" The other man seemed to relax and eat a bit more quickly. When the bowl was empty, Naruto took it back and placed it on the bedside table. "Feel better?" He received a curt nod. "Good. Now, tell me stranger, what is your reasoning for venturing this deep into the Moon Country?"

"I am looking for a friend, as I said before. This is simply another place to look." The man replied.

Deciding to press the matter and discover if the man was indeed lying, Naruto continued talking, "This friend of yours must be very special for you to wander into such unknown lands like the Moon Country. Do not deny that you were lost, for it was clear to me that you had no idea where you were going."

"Hn..." The reply that Naruto received was not satisfactory to answer his words. The noise that left the stranger's lips was familiar in such a way that it hurt, or rather, would have hurt if Naruto had not already sealed away the thoughts of a long-lost friend. "Who are you?" Naruto asked, wondering what kind of reply he would get out of the stranger.  
"No one of consequence. Only a shinobi looking for a friend. However, I must ask you the same question."

"I sense there is more to this than you say, but I shall let this drop for now. On the matter of who I am, well, you need not worry. I too am no one of consequence and am not one to be remembered. Let us leave it at that, for it is late and we are both tired, so we shall rest." Naruto relaxed in the chair as the other man laid down, appearing to accept Naruto's words for the moment.

Naruto waited until he was sure that the other man was asleep before he let himself fall into a light sleep. When morning's light shone through the window, Naruto awoke swiftly and stretched. He glanced at the still figure of the man and sighed. Rising from the chair, Naruto moved to the doorway of the room. His stomach growled as he contemplated breakfast. His contemplations were interrupted by the approaching chakra signatures of his students, followed by the opening of his front door. The loud bang shattered the quiet of the house, making Naruto groan inwardly. "Sensei, sensei, any progress? Did he wake up? Is he handsome? Is he dangerous? Can we talk to him? Can we, can we?" Takara practically shouted out, bouncing on her heels in anticipation.

Akinori put a hand on his twin's shoulder, "Do not lump me with you in this. Your excitement in this matter is your own. I have no more interest in this than I do with your obsession with those small, furry rodents you call pets."

"Takara...Please slow down and be quieter." Naruto paused and then spoke again, "After that noise, yes, he is awake, and yes, you can see him." He moved away from the doorway and entered the bedroom, quickly followed by his students. The stranger was indeed awake and he stared with an expressionless mask that could have rivaled Naruto's own.

"These are my students, Takara and Akinori." Naruto said with a protective note in his voice.

The stranger nodded his recognition, but did not speak. Takara giggled and bounced closer, only to be stopped by Naruto's hand. "Hisoka-sensei..." She whined, making a pouty face. A look of realization and surprise came across her face. "Hey, why do you have your hood up?"

"No reason, I only felt like wearing it up." Naruto then proceeded to lower the hood and remove the cloak entirely, all the while keeping his eyes on the stranger. As soon as his blond hair, blue eyes, and whisker marks were revealed, he saw what had to have been the stranger's eyes widening, granted it was the tiniest bit, and it only lasted for a moment, but he noticed it nonetheless.

Breaking the following silence, Naruto spoke, "Akinori, Takara, take care of the dishes. Then you may go train..." He received a grin and a simple nod before the two young adults left.

Settling down in the chair, Naruto stared at the man. "Now, I dislike having no name to call you, so tell me, what is your name or rather what shall I call you?"

After a pregnant pause, the stranger replied, "Sasuke." Naruto kept the mask on his face and he nodded, "Ah, and I am Hisoka. Tell me, who is this friend of yours?"

"A lost one. It is my mission to bring him home. I owe him...after all." Sasuke replied in a quiet voice.

Naruto made no change in his facial expression only nodded slightly. "I understand your cautiousness. We have only just met and in these dangerous times, caution keeps you alive. I apologize for my persistence in the matter, but strangers often mean danger in these parts and I have a town to protect."

_Sasuke...Is it you or an elaborate hoax set up by the Akatsuki? If it is you, are you looking for me? Though why would Sasuke, the power hungry man, be looking for me without bad intentions?_

**Naruto, be wary and keep your guard up. This is the real Sasuke, I can tell, though there is something different about him.**

_Shut up, Kyuubi, I know. I will not let him see; after all, I do not want to go back. Going back would only remind me more of my own wretched existence._

"Hn," was the reply that Naruto received, though he expected no more than that.

* * *

_**Sasuke **_was awoken by a clanking sound. When he opened his eyes, he found that he was in a strange home on a bed with the cloaked stranger from before sitting in a chair near the bed. A delicious smell filled the air and Sasuke felt his stomach grumble lightly. He saw a bowl of what was presumably soup in the stranger's tan hands.

"You fainted and I brought you here. Eat and regain your strength." The words were spoken as the bowl was offered to him. Slowly, he sat up, pleased that he was able to do so without a struggle. Taking the bowl, he hesitated, sniffing the soup. Worried that it was poisoned, he took very slow, small sips, testing the food. His suspicions were pushed away when the stranger spoke, "Do not fret, the soup is not poisoned. If I were to poison you, how would I know your true intentions, hm?"

Sasuke relaxed slightly at the words and ate a bit faster. He somehow felt that the stranger was not lying. He finished the soup faster than he thought he could and then the other man took the bowl from him and placed it on the table beside the bed. "Feel better?" Sasuke nodded curtly in reply, as he did not feel like speaking. The soup had made him feel better and he could feel his strength returning. "Good. Now, tell me stranger, what is your reasoning for venturing this deep into the Moon Country?"

The question was difficult for Sasuke to answer. The subject itself was sensitive and he had to be careful not reveal too much. "I am looking for a friend, as I said before. This is simply another place to look." He replied quietly, thinking that the matter would be dropped. However, his thoughts were wrong as the man continued to speak on the matter, "This friend of yours must be very special for you to wander into such unknown lands like the Moon Country. Do not deny that you were lost, for it was clear to me that you had no idea where you were going."

"Hn..." Sasuke wanted not to speak of it any longer, and was appreciative when the man changed the subject. "Who are you?" It was not much better, but at least the focus was off of his search. "No one of consequence. Only a shinobi looking for a friend. However, I must ask you the same question."

"I sense there is more to this than you say, but I shall let this drop for now. On the matter of who I am, well, you need not worry. I too am no one of consequence and am not one to be remembered. Let us leave it at that, for it is late and we are both tired, so we shall rest."

Sasuke relaxed slightly at the reply and then laid down, feeling sleep calling his name. He fell into a deeper sleep than he had anticipated and was startled when he was awoken some time later by a bang and a loud voice. Opening his eyes, he saw the cloaked man standing in the doorway of the room, taking to two young adults. The girl's voice reminded him a bit of Sakura's voice when they had been on the same team eight years ago. "Sensei, sensei, any progress? Did he wake up? Is he handsome? Is he dangerous? Can we talk to him? Can we, can we?" The girl practically shouted out, bouncing on her heels in anticipation.

The boy put a hand on the girl's shoulder and spoke in such a soft voice that Sasuke could barely hear his words, but he caught something about lumping together and rodents.

_Students of this strangers, I presume, considering the girl's words. However, this man...He has speed that may surpass my own, and he moves with such fluidity and presence that I must have not been paying attention when he came after me, for I never sensed him. Very interesting. _

"Takara...Please slow down and be quieter." The man seemed to pause before he spoke again, "After that noise, yes, he is awake, and yes, you can see him." He moved away from the doorway and stepped back into the room, quickly followed by the two others. Sasuke made sure he had his mask on before they looked at him, to make sure that no emotions from his earlier thoughts were portrayed on his face.

"These are my students, Takara and Akinori." The man's voice had a dangerous note in it, as if he was warning him not to hurt them. The protectiveness in his tone and the slight amount that appeared in his gaze was powerful.

Sasuke nodded his recognition, but did not speak. Takara giggled and bounced closer, only to be stopped by the older man's hand. "Hisoka-sensei..." She whined, clearly pouting, annoyingly enough. A look of what could only be realization and surprise came across her face. "Hey, why do you have your hood up?"

"No reason, I only felt like wearing it up." The man simply said and then proceeded to lower the hood and remove the cloak entirely. Sasuke was almost not ready for what was beneath that hood. First came the well-defined whisker marks, then the blue eyes that stared at Sasuke and threatened to swallow him whole, and then lastly, the spiky blond hair, tipped with red and black. His eyes widened, but only by a few millimeters at the most. He was proud of himself for keeping the shock off of his expression.

The silence that followed was suffocating and filled with one thought on Sasuke's part, _Naruto. _He wanted to say the name, but he stopped himself before he could make a fool out of himself, after all, Uchiha's were not fools and had complete control over their actions and reactions. "Akinori, Takara, take care of the dishes. Then you may go train..." The words broke the silence, and Sasuke snapped out of his trance just as the boy and girl ran off.

Turning his gaze to the man in the chair, Sasuke listened as he spoke. "Now, I dislike having no name to call you, so tell me, what is your name or rather what shall I call you?"

Sasuke stared for what seemed like a long while before replying, "Sasuke." He received no reaction, which oddly concerned him. "Ah, and I am Hisoka. Tell me, who is this friend of yours?"

Sasuke wanted to growl at the man for bringing up the subject that he did not want to talk about, especially not with someone who had a possibility of being Naruto. Nevertheless, Sasuke replied quietly, "A lost one. It is my mission to bring him home. I owe him...after all."

"I understand your cautiousness. We have only just met and in these dangerous times, caution keeps you alive. I apologize for my persistence in the matter, but strangers often mean danger in these parts and I have a town to protect."

"Hn." Sasuke could not bring himself to reply with more than a simple sound. _He calls himself Hisoka, and yet he resembles Naruto. That idiot is the only one I know of who has such marks on his cheeks. I shall investigate further and decide if this is 'Hisoka' is a dobe-look-a-like, or Naruto__._

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**There you have it, Chapter 7. I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes. Parts of this chapter were written on my iPad, and I forgot to turn off the auto-correct. I think I caught all the stupid things, but I may have missed a few! I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this chapter and are looking forward to the next one. **

**Please review! Thank you. **


	8. The Village of Gekkō

**I am so happy! I have gotten eight chapters in and readers are still excited! (I think...) Thank you for the support, everyone, for it has helped fuel the fire! : ) I do not need to list my supporters, you know who you are! ; ) ****Again, I shall remind you that I do not own ****_Naruto_****, sadly, or shall I say, fortunately?**

_Sasuke/Naruto thinking_

**Kyuubi talking **

* * *

**_Sasuke _**might have been sitting in front of Naruto, but he had no feelings nor thoughts of happiness about the matter. The appearance of his former best friend was a thorn in his side; a reminder of his past life. He wanted to be rid of what he had been; what people had seen him as, but it seemed that he would never be free from that burden. In the eyes of all those outside of the Moon Country, he was a Jinchuuriki. He carried a monster within him; therefore he was a monster. Naively thinking that he could get away from the prejudiced thoughts of others, he had left the Leaf and come to a smaller country. Here, in the Moon, he had found what he was looking for, until Sasuke showed up. Now, the man posed a threat to the life that Naruto had worked so hard to gain. A low growl left his throat as he stared at the man on the bed.

He would take care of him until the man left, but he was never going to tell him who he was. Naruto could hide his identity, as he had done for years. This would be easy. Sasuke had never caught on before, when they were on the same team, so there would be no reason he would be able to catch on now. Naruto steeled his expression before he could smirk and then decided to offer to go with the man on a walk. "As your strength is now returning, would you like to take a stroll around the village? If you are with me, then the villagers will be a bit more accepting of your presence."

Sasuke nodded and stood up slowly. Naruto watched closely and got to his feet, leading the way towards the front door. He made it there well before the other man, but that was what Naruto expected, for Sasuke was still weak from lack of nutrition and rest. The slow trek to the front gate was silent which pleased Naruto.

After stepping inside the front gate of the village, Naruto turned to Sasuke and spoke quietly, "This is the village of Gekkō. We are not well-known, we live a simple life, and we have no ninja, but we are a happy people." He paused and then spoke in the same quiet tone, but there was an underlying threatening note to his words. "I will not have any one disrupting the peace and happiness these people have. They have gone through quite enough already."

Satisfied with the simple nod that he received, Naruto continued walking. He saw the curious, occasionally worried gazes of the villagers and offered them all a small, reassuring smile. Most smiled and went on with their duties, while others continued to look on with pure curiosity. Naruto felt glad that the village trusted him to take care of the situation and if he said it was alright, they agreed. The thought reinforced that this was home and he belonged here. The people of the Leaf Village had never trusted him, even after he had saved them from death by Nagato's hand. He had thought their survival would bring them around, but they only hated him more, blaming him for the destruction of the village. Though it was the truth, it still hurt that they couldn't at least thank him for helping them get away with their lives.

He was, and would forever be, a monster in their eyes, nothing more and nothing less. He was judged by the past actions of Kyuubi and not for his own. The fox had apologized repeatedly for this, but Naruto never blamed him. He, instead, blamed the residents of the Leaf, for it was their own prejudice that blinded them from seeing the truth. He hated that about them; they could not look past the seal on his stomach to see the child before them. His thoughts threatened to drift into memories and he returned to reality before that could happen. Now was not the time to descend into buried memories. _There will never be a time for that. _He reminded himself firmly.

The village sounds helped him move away from his thoughts. He watched children run about, laughing as they played with each other. Some of them ran past Naruto and Sasuke, shouting happily at each other while they played tag. Several elders were sitting on porches, watching the world around them, and an older woman was surrounded by small children who were listening with rapt attention to her words. Village women moved about, talking among themselves, some occasionally glancing towards the newcomer and Naruto. Life seemed to move on in its own peaceful way. There were signs of the troubles that had gone on before Naruto arrived, burned homes and rubble that was slowly being moved out of the village, but the peace was not lessened because of these things.

A gentle sigh left Naruto's throat; he was growing hungry and he knew his students would be returning from their training soon after mid-day, which was quickly approaching. He turned slightly in Sasuke's direction, but before he could open his mouth to ask the man if he had seen his friend, Naruto felt small arms wrap around his leg, just below the knee. A very small smile eased onto his lips and he looked down to see a child with a mop of yellow hair clinging to his leg. "Hello Hoshi." The little girl giggled and let go of his leg, lifting her arms up. Naruto picked her up and ruffled her hair. "How are you, little one?"

"Fine, 'Soka." She hugged his chest and then stared at Sasuke with wide green eyes. "Mine..." She clung to Naruto, causing him to chuckle softly. "Silly, be nice to Sasuke. He is a guest." She stuck her tongue out at the dark-haired man before nodding slightly. "Where is your mother?"

"I dunno."

Naruto sighed slightly, "It is 'I don't know', and should you be wandering around by yourself?" He raised an eyebrow at the girl and she lowered her gaze, shaking her head. "No..." Naruto turned to Sasuke, "I need to find Hoshi's mother, this will only take a moment." He motioned for him to follow as he walked away with Hoshi in his arms. Knowing the man was following, Naruto did not turn to see when he heard footsteps coming after them. He weaved his way through carts and houses before he came to the backyard of a home where a woman was hanging clothes up to dry. "Momma!" Hoshi called happily, a grin splitting her face. Naruto set her down and she ran into the open arms of the woman and murmured words were exchanged before the two looked up at the men. "Thank you, Hisoka, for bringing her back. She does like to run off..." She ran her hand gently through the child's hair, causing Hoshi to lean into the woman's arms.

Brushing long, brown hair out of her face, the woman smiled at Naruto. "You are welcome, Kin. Hoshi, stay with your mother this time." He stared pointedly at the child who nodded quickly and then he smiled at her. After a receiving a smile from Hoshi, he turned and left, followed closely by Sasuke.

"Now we shall return to my home. You must be hungry." Naruto glanced up at the sky, judging it to be around mid-day. He received no verbal reply, but he knew the man was still following him as they left the village. He sighed and wondered why Sasuke would come looking for someone...someone that was possibly him. He mentally shook his head, telling himself that Sasuke was looking for one of his little 'friends', like Suigetsu or Juugo. Taking a deep breath, Naruto gripped the doorknob of his front door, not caring if the man behind him thought something was wrong. He didn't care if Sasuke saw Naruto struggling within himself and used it against him. Defeating the man would be easy now that he did not have to hold back. A grim expression slipped across his face and disappeared within seconds.

He could feel eyes on him, but he twisted the knob roughly and pushed inside the home without word. He held the door for his visitor and resisted the urge to slam it shut behind him. Glancing at Sasuke, Naruto held back a snort. If he had not known better, he would have thought that the look behind Sasuke's eyes was concern. He hardened his gaze and turned sharply on his heel, walking towards the kitchen area. "Make yourself comfortable, but know that I can see you with my back to you." He heated soup, all the while aware of Sasuke's every movement behind him.

Knowing that he would sense if anything was wrong, he let his thoughts wander again, an unwise choice, but he did not care. _His presence is bugging me. I need to find a way to get rid of him without raising suspicion. Sasuke does not recognize me, lucky for me I can use that to my advantage. _

**You need to accept that he may be the best thing for you. What if he came looking for you? **

_Firstly, there is no way he would coming look for me. He...He has his own life without me. Secondly, I hate him. He will never be the best thing for me. He is as much of a monster as I am presumed to be. _

**We both know that is not true. Stop lying to yourself, kit. You can't stop thinking about him, and even without knowing his intentions you want to tell him who you are. **

_Stop lying to me! I HATE HIM! Actually, he is nothing to me! I do not care about his fate or his search. He could go and die for all I care_.

**Whatever you say...**

Naruto clenched the spoon in his hand as Kyuubi pulled memories up from the recesses of his mind and showed them to him. Sasuke and Naruto hanging out after a mission. Sasuke and Naruto going out for ramen alone because Kakashi bailed and Sakura was sick. Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura trying to find out what was beneath Kakashi's mask. Sasuke and Naruto. Team Seven. Sasuke...

_Stop it! Those are unwanted, unneeded memories of the past! They bring nothing to me but pain. Is that what you want? Do you want me to be in pain? Do you want me to admit what I felt beneath that mask during those years? Too bad! Stay away from my past, unless you are willing to erase it all, you damn demon fox! _

The silence that followed satisfied Naruto and he relaxed his grip on the poor spoon before approaching the table where Sasuke now sat. "Eat." He placed a bowl before Sasuke and then sat down with another bowl. He pointedly took the first bite out of both bowls while catching Sasuke's gaze with one eyebrow raised. "Not poisoned." He continued eating out of his own bowl as Sasuke did the same. The meal was eaten in silence and when the bowls were empty, Naruto took them to the kitchen and set them aside to wash later.

He paused and took a deep breath before he turned and walked back to Sasuke. "I assume you did not see your friend during our walk. I will give you a week to regain your strength and have a through look around the village." He did not want Sasuke to know that his greatest desire at the moment was to send him on his way. Letting him stay for a week was the only comprise he could think of. In the meantime, Naruto would have to keep a low profile as to not tickle Sasuke's curiosity any more than he already had.

* * *

Sasuke held Hisoka's gaze, attempting to make the other man uncomfortable and slip up. There was a mask covering Hisoka's true emotions; a mask that was quite possibly better than his own. This would have made him nervous, but a Uchiha did not feel nervousness. Concentrating, Sasuke saw what appeared to be a flicker of emotion in the man's eyes and then he heard the faintest growl. He tensed in preparation for an attack, but none came. Hisoka, instead, asked him if he wanted to go on a walk. His legs felt a bit numb and he needed to get off the bed, so he nodded. Moving slowly, Sasuke made to his feet with little problems. He ignored the weakness that he felt and followed after Hisoka to the front door.

Walking outside, Sasuke was greeted with the simple outside of the home and a forest path. He had never been one for nature, but he could not deny the appeal of living in such a place. His slow pace allowed him to take in his surroundings easily without his Sharingan. The path that they walked on had clearly been made by animals originally and was not well-used. This struck Sasuke as a bit odd, but he did not dwell on it, instead putting aside in his mind to think about later. When a gate came into view, Sasuke could see that the village within was small and poor. Stepping inside the gate, he stopped as his guide did and listened as Hisoka spoke, "This is the village of Gekkō. We are not well-known, we live a simple life, and we have no ninja, but we are a happy people." The man paused and then continued in the same quiet tone, but with an underlying threat beneath his words. "I will not have any one disrupting the peace and happiness these people have. They have gone through quite enough already."

Sasuke inclined his head in response. He got the sense that Hisoka would protect the village and it's people with his life. _Naruto was the same way with Konoha, another similarity between the two men. _

Feeling eyes on him, Sasuke glanced around and saw villagers watching him. A few appeared worried by his presence, but they were reassured by something and the worry disappeared. Realizing that their gazes had shifted between Hisoka and himself, he watched the other man and found that there was a small smile on the man's lips, reassuring the villagers that no harm would come to them. Those that saw Hisoka's expression either went back to their work or looked on with curiosity and nothing more. _Very interesting. They seem to trust him completely. Different from Naruto, whom Konoha's villagers hated. _

Sasuke grunted when someone bumped into him. He glanced after the laughing child who was playing with its friends. Doing so caused the rest of the village life to draw him in. The peacefulness that surrounded the village contrasted the obvious poor conditions the people lived in. Many homes were in dis-repair and there were signs of raids; burned homes and rubble scattered throughout the village. The air was filled with laughter and happiness, which caused a slight shiver to go down Sasuke's spine. _How can they be at peace while living such simple lives? _

He wanted to question the man walking in front of him, but he kept his mouth shut. Appearing curious in this situation was to appear weak as a Uchiha. He could find the answers out on his own. Sasuke had to stop walking when Hisoka stopped and turned slightly towards him. It appeared the man was going to talk to him and Sasuke waited for threats that never came as a small girl came up and clung to Hisoka's leg. The yellow hair caused one eyebrow to raise a millimeter. That shade of yellow was very similar to a certain idiot's own hair color. His eyes flickered to Hisoka's hair. _No, his hair is more like Naruto's. That little girl's hair is not like the sun. _

Finding that he had been staring at the other man, Sasuke glanced at the little girl, who was now in Hisoka's arms. She reacted by clinging to Hisoka and declaring that he was hers. "Silly, be nice to Sasuke. He is a guest." The girl, Hoshi, stuck her tongue out at Sasuke, causing him to blink rapidly. _They seem close. She called him 'Soka. Interesting. _Sasuke listened to the short conversation between the two and watched the girl's reactions to Hisoka. He followed Hisoka when he said that he was going to find the girl's mother. Hisoka acted like a respected part of the village and was treated that way as well. Hoshi appeared to think of him as an authoritative figure that needed to be listened to. _What did this man do for these people? _Sasuke kept his expression neutral and walked slowly behind Hisoka and Hoshi.

When they stopped after finding the girl's mother, Sasuke watched with little interest at the reunion. He did not speak and observed that the woman, who seemed to be named Kin, was as excited to see her daughter as to see Hisoka. _Not only is he liked, this woman seems to have a crush on him. He is either oblivious or uncaring not to notice such obvious attraction. _Sasuke glanced between Hisoka and Kin and decided that was another thing to puzzle over later as Hisoka turned and left. Following after him, Sasuke became aware of his stomach lightly growling. As if in response, Hisoka spoke, "Now we shall return to my home. You must be hungry."

Sasuke nodded even though the other man could not see him. He was glad that the home they had stopped at was close to the front gate, for they were soon back where they started at Hisoka's home. However, the man paused with his hand on the door to his house. It appeared that Hisoka was having an inner struggle. Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly and studied the man, noticing that a grim expression slipped across his face and disappeared within seconds. The door was twisted roughly and Hisoka pushed inside the home. Following after him, Sasuke watched as the man closed the door behind them. Hisoka was holding something like anger back. Sasuke felt concern for the man, strangely, and he was unsure if it showed on his face.

The hardening glance that he received and the threatening words veiling annoyance worried him more. It was odd for him to feel concern for anyone, especially a stranger, but it was something that he could not deny that he felt at the moment. Walking about the house slowly, Sasuke took his thoughts off of his concern and took in the details of the home. It was simply decorated with no decoration. There were no pictures or comfortable pieces of furniture besides the bed. The entire home was separated into three rooms; a bedroom, a bathroom, and a joint kitchen, dining room, and living room.

Sitting down at the table, Sasuke watched Hisoka as he worked in the kitchen. From the back, the man looked eerily similar to Naruto, but there were differences from Sasuke's memory of the blond idiot. The shoulders were too broad and muscled, the hair too calm in style, and there was a fluidity in how the man moved that differed from Naruto. There was no way that the idiot had changed that much in eight years. Naruto was clumsy, skinny, and had crazy hair.

Sasuke left his thoughts as Hisoka came to the table and set two bowls of soup down. He was told to eat and his stomach wanted him to do nothing more than chow down, but he needed to know that the soup was safe first. "Not poisoned." Hisoka took a bite out of both bowls while staring at Sasuke. This man had the uncanny ability to do or say just what Sasuke needed him to. It was odd and would have been unnerving, if Sasuke was able to be unnerved.

The bowl emptied faster than he would have liked, but he did not say anything about it. Hisoka took the bowls away and returned a clear pause. "I assume you did not see your friend during our walk. I will give you a week to regain your strength and have a through look around the village." The words were not surprising to him, but he felt like Hisoka was forcing himself to let him stay. _Does this man not like me? If that is so, why is he forcing himself to let me stay for a week? He is hiding something, but what is the question and I will find the answer before I leave. _

* * *

**Gekkō - Moonlight, Moonbeam**

**Hoshi - Star**

**Kin - Golden**

**How was it? I know the entire chapter was a bit...well...dull, but I needed a setting and a walk through the village seemed to work. **

**On another note, I will not be able to write or publish the next chapter for about two weeks, though it might be a month before I get Chapter 9 out. I apologize!**


	9. A Demon's Fun

**Enter Chapter 9. I was lacking in muse on this chapter, so I apologize now for the possible blandness. I will make sure the next chapter moves the story along nicely. Thank you and please continue to support me. :) Those that read, review, follow, or favorite, I thank you immensely! Your support is what keeps me going. **

* * *

_**Naruto**_ stared up at the moon, entranced by the sight. It would be full tomorrow and he could feel Kyuubi's excitement. During certain moon cycles, demons became stronger or went into heat, among other things. The fox demon wanted to run through the forest and fields and howl through the night. Such thoughts caused shivers to go down his spine and he glanced at the bedroom, biting his lip. Sasuke had retired to the bedroom soon after the evening meal, which was almost three hours ago. Sasuke had fallen asleep quickly and would most likely stay asleep till morning. However, the off-chance of the man awakening and doing something while he was not here worried Naruto. His role as Hisoka demanded that he protect the village and it's inhabitants from threats, and whether Sasuke was a threat or not had yet to be determined.

Walking to the bedroom and standing in the doorway, Naruto stared at the form on the bed. The rising and falling of Sasuke's chest was the only movement and the breathing was slow and soft. Naruto's mind wandered as he watched the man sleep. Walking through the village with the raven had been...almost entertaining. The subtle changes in the man's expressions were easy for him to read and were somewhat surprising. The man was observant and taken in everything. The man had been deep in thought during most of their walk, though Naruto was sure the man heard and registered every word spoken. The noon and evening meal both had gone by quickly and with little conversation. Takara and her brother had eaten at their own home, after being promptly sent home by Naruto when they stopped by after training.

He ran a hand through his hair as he left his thoughts. This Sasuke was his Sasuke, he had no doubt about that, but he wondered who the man had come looking for. Naruto decided to ask for a description in the morning to quench his curiosity. He ignored the demon voice within him, not wanting to hear another rant about how Sasuke had most definitely come for him. Kyuubi realized he was getting nowhere and changed the subject, reminding him the reason he had walked to the doorway to begin with.

**If you would stop gawking at him, we can go.**

Naruto went to retort, but thought better of it, as he found he had been staring at Sasuke's slumbering form for some time. He quickly looked away while his cheeks began to burn. He mentally cursed himself for blushing and began an inner lecture. When that was interrupted by Kyuubi, Naruto turned from the doorway and decided, with Kyuubi's persuasion, to leave. The demon insisted that the raven was not a threat, and for once Naruto believed him. He left the house as quietly as possible through an open window and walked to the forest line, muscles quivering from the anticipation. He whimpered before he burst into a run. When he was further into the trees, he let the Kyuubi take over, though not fully, only enough to let the creature feel the experience first hand. His dyed tips soon blended in with his now red and black hair that had lengthened by a few inches. His slit red eyes appeared feral, but had a childish quality beneath that took off the edge.

The rush his body felt when the fox became the main spirit within had been disconcerting when he had first done it, but it was pleasant and exhilarating now. There was trust between them now and so Naruto could relax and watch as the demon acted freely. He knew the demon's rage had long since been dealt with and he was more like a docile puppy than a raging, murderous demon. A howl split from his lips and Naruto laughed softly. Kyuubi's mood was infectious and Naruto couldn't help but smile within himself. Tonight he could forget about the memories, troubles, and the man named Sasuke.

He let out another haunting howl as he crouched on the ground, head raised to the moon. When he lowered his head, he studied his surroundings with his feral gaze. A rustling came to his attention and he sniffed the oncoming wind. Deer. His face split into a wild grin and he ran after the scent. The deer scattered at his obnoxious rustling and he chased after them, running like a madmen. He made no moves to attack the deer, only chased them to the demon's content. He followed them for almost twenty minutes, before he turned around and headed back to town.

Halfway back, Naruto slowed down and stared longingly at the moon. As the soothing light washed over him, he shut his eyes. Kyuubi retreated back to his cage and Naruto took over his own body once again. His hair and eyes returned to normal. When he opened his blue eyes, they held sadness. An odd churning sensation started deep in his gut and Naruto put a hand over his stomach while lowering his head slightly. The moon...reminded him of the times he had spent looking out of his window in Konoha, looking longingly at the night sky. The reason had been very different than. Naruto clenched his jaw and swallowed hard. Confusion mixed with his previous sorrow.

_Why do I feel...home-sick?_

**Kit, you are crying. Face the fact that you miss Konoha.**

Naruto put his other hand to his face and was surprised that the demon spoke the truth, his face was wet. Quickly bristling, he furiously wiped away the tears and their tracks. "NO! There is nothing to face. I do not miss that...that place! It is a wretched hole in the ground that deserves to rot. Tonight I will forget! This is not the time to remember. That place and it's inhabitants are dead to me." Naruto shouted, able to speak out loud, as he knew no one could hear him. "I am Hisoka and nothing else. This town is my home. I belong here, with Akinori and Takara."

**Denial never solved anything. Naruto...Stop running away. The Leaf made you into a strong ninja, and a honest one at that. Even though you were pretending much of the time, you were affected just the same. You are not as different from your 'mask' as you think you are. **

At first, Naruto was shocked into silence. Kyuubi rarely called him by his first name, preferring to use the nickname 'kit' instead. Also, the demon had not spoken that much in one setting since Naruto was little. Shaking his head, Naruto cleared his mind and then moved quickly towards his home. _You are wrong. I am not running away, rather running towards something; peace of mind. That village never gave me that and this one has. Sasuke has only stirred up the past. Soon I will forget about my previous life and the hell I lived in. Gekkō is my home and it's villagers are my family. _

**They know nothing of what or who you truly are. How can they be your family? How can you say that they do not hate you when they do not know you are a Jinchuuriki. **

_This conversation is over, demon. I have no interest in your side of this. This is my body and my life, not yours. Keep out of it. If I say this place is my home, it is. Konoha has never been my home, nor shall it ever be. Stop spewing nonsense and take a nap. _Naruto rolled his eyes at the grumbles that he received as a reply. Reaching the hut he called home, Naruto quietly slipped in through the same window as before and glanced around the quiet home. If he concentrated, he could hear Sasuke's breathing coming from the bedroom, thankfully. He moved to the living area and settled down on his couch, laying his head on a pillow. Staring at the ceiling, Naruto flipped so that he was on his back and let out a gentle sigh.

He had to admit that what Kyuubi said had struck a chord in him. The villagers did not know what he was, so how could he say that they didn't hate him? For all he knew, the moment they found out that he had a demon within him, they would hate his guts. They could be the same as Konoha, full of hatred for the Jinchuuriki that had saved their lives countless times. Naruto let out another sigh and shut his eyes. He needed to figure out what to do about Sasuke and the villagers, but for now, he needed to sleep. Morning was coming quicker than he wanted and he required rest to deal with the trials of a new day. Naruto evened his breathing and let himself fall into the pit of unconscious that is sleep, unaware that he was being watched by a pair of red eyes.

* * *

**I apologize for the short length, but I promise the next chapter will be much better. In my point of view, this chapter sucked, but if you think differently, you are a saint. :) Thank you and please review! **


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